Mirzapur, 10 Dec (HS): A criminal carrying bounty and

suspected of slashing woman with a blade was discovered dead in the Ganga near

here, according to officials. Abdul, alias Saif, was the primary suspect in the

attack on the Kotwali Katra police station earlier this month and was carrying

a Rs 25,000 bounty. On Tuesday night, his body was discovered floating in the

Ganga near the Maharshi Dayanand Public School, which lies behind the district

hospital. Police officers went to the scene, recovered the corpse, and

submitted it for a post-mortem. ASP Nitesh Singh stated that the specific cause

of death remained unknown. The situation is now being examined.

According to authorities, Abdul reportedly cut a

Hindu girl's neck with a blade on December 5 after she repoertedly refused to

scummb to his demand of converting her to Islam. She was brought to the

hospital and then referred to Varanasi for additional treatment. The motive for

the attack has been determined.

The event provoked demonstrations by Hindu groups,

who demanded the perpetrator be arrested immediately. SP Somen Verma formed

four teams to apprehend Abdul, and raids were conducted in several places,

resulting in the arrest of nine of Abdul's suspected friends.

Hindusthan Samachar / Abhishek Awasthi